Fiber optic telecommunications establish communication, usually between widely separate points, and commonly involve splicing operations which provide joints between two fiber optic cables. The splices are used, in part, to interconnect subscribers to a telecommunication provider, such as a telephone service provider. Typically, the splices may be accomplished in a basement of a subscriber and mounted on a splice mount which, in turn, is mounted on a splice tray to form a splice holder and which, in turn, along with multiple occupied splice holders, are mounted in a distribution panel. Splice trays find multiple applications and the ease of their use and their placement within a distribution panel greatly assist the technician who installs and maintains telecommunication apparatus.
Telecommunications splice holders are known and one such holder may be further described with reference to FIG. 1 showing a top view of a splice mount 10 that is placed into and attached to a tray (not shown) which is an open receptacle with a flat bottom and low rim for holding the splice mount and forming the overall splice holder.
The splice mount 10 is commonly comprised of a foam or resilient material used to provide for a plurality of resilient members formed into at least two groups 12 and 14 respectively comprising 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, 12F, 12G and 12I and 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, 14E, 14F, 14G and 14I. Each of the resilient members of the groups 12 and 14 is segmented into shared and adjacent pairs separated from each other by a predetermined spacing which forms a slot between adjacent resilient members 12A . . . 14I. Each pair of resilient holders is arranged as shown in FIG. 1 to form resilient holding pockets therebetween. More particularly, the resilient members 12A, . . . 12I are arranged to provide for holding pockets 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E, 16F, and 16G, whereas the resilient members 14A . . . 14I are arranged to provide for resilient holding pockets 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D, 18E, 18F, and 18G.
Each of the resilient holding pockets 16A . . . 16G and 18A . . . 18G has a passageway 20 that is provided between each pair of associated resilient members, with the passageway 20 being of a space which is less than the space between resilient members 12A . . . 14I that cooperatively form the resilient holding pockets 16A . . . 16G, 18A . . . 18G. The resilient members 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, 12F, 12G and 12I are respectively separated from resilient members 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, 14E, 14F, 14G, and 14I by ribs 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 22E, 22F, 22G and 22I which also lay under and are interconnected to resilient members 12A . . . 14I.
In operation, the splice mount 10 accommodates both single fusion and mass fusion splices, both known in the art. For a generally narrower and longer single fusion splice, the spliced member spans the distance 24 of the splice mount 10 as shown in FIG. 1 and is held in place in the splice mount 10 by friction created by pressing the spliced member into its associated passageway 20. Similarly, for a generally wider and shorter mass fusion splice, the spliced member spans the distance 26 of the splice mount 10 as shown in FIG. 1 and is held in placed in the splice mount 10 by friction created by pressing the spliced member into its associated resilient holders, such as 16A-18A. Ribs 22A . . . 22I forming cutouts separating the two groups of associated resilient members 12A . . . 14I allow access for pulling the spliced member out with either a finger or a tool. Further details of the splice mount 10 may be further described with reference to FIG. 2 comprised of FIGS. 2 (A), 2 (B) and 2 (C), wherein FIG. 2 (B) is a side view taken along line 2B--2B of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is a front view taken along line 2C--2C of FIG. 2 (A).
FIG. 2 (A) illustrates that the ribs, such as rib 22E, run under and provide support for their associated resilient holders. FIG. 2 (A) also shows that the resilient holding pockets, such as 16A and 18A, are interconnected by a continuous opening formed by a slot, such as slot 28A.
FIG. 2 (B) illustrates that each of the resilient members, such as members 12I and 14I, has a contoured shape and possesses a thickness. FIG. 2 (C) illustrates the same thickness as that of FIG. 2 (B) and further illustrates that the resilient members 12A . . . 12I have a contoured shape and between adjacent resilient members, such as 12A and 12B, is a passageway 20 and an associated resilient holding pocket, such as 16A. FIG. 2 (C) also shows that each adjacent pair of resilient members 12A . . . 14I forms passageway 20 and resilient holding pockets 16A . . . 18G with constricted necks towards the surface for increased frictional hold of the spliced members.
From FIGS. 1 and 2, in particular, FIG. 1, it is seen that the resilient holding pockets, such as 16A and 18A, are interconnected by the continuous slot 28A, formed by undercuts placed in the foam splice mount during its molding, which burdens the prior art splice mount 10 with structural disadvantages. The process used to form the prior art splice mount 10 may be further described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 3 illustrates a piece of foam material 15 used during a prior art process, commonly referred to as a four-directional process, to form the splice mount 10 and in which up and down motions, indicative by directional arrows 15A and 15B, are used to form the resilient pockets, such as 16A and 18A. It should be noted that the resilient pockets formed by the up and down motions pass all the way through the material 15 to form slots, such as 28A, which contributes to the flimsy structure of the splice mount 10 which may be described with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 illustrates the up and down molding process of material 15 of FIG. 3 by a top mold shaping member 15C and by a bottom mold shaping member 15D which operatively cooperates with each other, in an up-down manner, to form the constricted neck between adjacent resilient members 12A . . . 14I. Again, it should be noted that the resilient holding pockets 16A . . . 18G pass all the way through the material 15 which contribute to the flimsy structure of the splice mount 10. It should be noted that the respective resilient holding pockets 16A . . . 18G are interconnected by the respective slots such as 28A.
FIG. 5 illustrates the same piece of material 15 of FIGS. 3 and 4 being further shaped by a side mold shaping member 15E for the side to side motion of the prior art four-directional molding process. FIG. 5 shows only one of the two side motion to form passageway 20 adjacent to resilient holding pocket 16A, it being understood that the associated passageway 20 adjacent to resilient holding pocket 18A is formed in an identical manner in the opposite direction. Side molding shaping member 15E is shaped with a constricted neck to form the passageway 20.
The splice mount 10 being comprised of a foam material and having the slot opening, such as 28A, cause the splice mount 10 to be of a flimsy structure and unable to stand by itself to form a splice tray but rather needs to be placed into a splice tray. This flimsy structure is a disadvantage especially when the splice mount 10 needs to be manually manipulated to attach to its associated splice tray for undisturbed and substantially parallel alignment of the resilient members 12A . . . 14I and resilient holding pockets 16A . . . 18G. The flimsy structure of splice mount 10 requires precise manipulation of its position and thereby causes attendant drawbacks of increasing the cost (more time spent to fabricate) of the splice tray carrying the splice mount 10.
It is desired that a splice mount be provided having increased structural integrity so that it may be more easily assembled into an associated tray thereby reducing attendant costs of the splice holder. Further, it is desired that a splice mount be provided that may have a structure so as to serve as a splice holder without the need of a supporting tray.